


The List

by AC333



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arya-centric, Badass Arya, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-08-27 06:59:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8391733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AC333/pseuds/AC333
Summary: When confronted with the decision of returning north to reunite with the remaining members of her family or traveling south to finish crossing names off her list, Arya Stark chooses what comes naturally to her: vengeance. Her enemies will learn that the Starks don't send their regards...they give them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically what I would want to happen in season 7. I know it's probably not going to happen but hey, a girl can dream! Enjoy!

Arya kept her head down as she ate her thin stew, listening to the murmurs around her. The Inn Keep’s daughter came by and filled to see if she needed another refill on her cup of water but Arya simply waved her hand, sending the girl away. She pushed around the lumps of “meat” in the stew, wondering how the common people were going to survive winter. Winter had finally come to Westeros and the common people were already going hungry. So many resources had been wasted by the nobles during the War of Five Kings. Her brother Robb had done it too.

 _Winter is coming,_ she thought. _Father told us that our entire lives. Why couldn’t you listen, Robb? Winter is finally here, and you left everyone to starve._

The War of Five Kings had become the War of Two Queens. Last Arya heard Daenerys Targaryen had landed in Dorne and was marching towards King’s Landing. _I have to beat her there,_ thought Arya. _Before Cersei dies._ She was sure Cersei would kill herself before the Targaryen host arrived and Arya would lose her chance at revenge forever.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when a bell rang on the door, two men entering the room. Arya looked over to see that she recognized one of them. Anguy, the archer from the Brotherhood Without Banners, surveyed the room with his brown eyes. Arya wasn't worried about getting recognized because she was still wearing the pretty serving girl's face she had used to kill Walder Frey.

Anguy and his friend sat at the counter, making jests at each other and whistling at the Inn Keep’s daughter. Arya finished the last bit of her stew and focused on their conversation.

“Won’t be long before that old farmer asks us to move,” said Anguy. “We’ve been holed up in his shack for two weeks now. He can’t keep feeding all of us forever.”

The younger man sitting next to Anguy gulped down half his beer and growled out, “The old shit can’t make us fucking leave. We’re the Brotherhood Without fucking Banners!” he yelled.

Angry grabbed his arm and hissed, “Keep your voice down. You never know who’s listening. Besides, Thoros and Beric told me we’re going north soon anyway. They want to serve the Starks. I don’t know where Melisandre will go. King Snow exiled her.”

Arya almost laughed with glee when she heard that three people on her list were in the same place. She pretended to drink her ale as she waited to follow Anguy and the other man back to the barn. After about an hour, the two threw coins down onto the counter and made their way out. Arya waited a few minutes and did the same, pulling the hood of her cloak up.

She stepped outside and embraced the cold winter air, thinking of Winterfell. She made a decision after brutally murdering Walder Frey and his two sons at the Twins. She heard from small folk that Jon, her bastard brother, was the King of the North. Supposedly Sansa ruled by his side after they took back Winterfell from Ramsay Bolton. Part of her wondered if any of it true, if they were still alive. She wanted to rush back to Winterfell and find out for herself, but she was running out of time to kill Cersei.

Her list was the one thing that kept her going when things were especially tough like after her father was executed or when she saw Grey Wind's head sewn onto Robb's body or when she was stabbed by the waif. A lot of names still remained; the Red Woman, Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, Ilyn Payne, the Mountain...but Cersei was her main target. The gods were giving her a gift by placing three of them only miles from her.

She looked up to see that it was beginning to snow. She smiled. _Winter is here._

She saw that Anguy and his friend began to walk down the road. She walked next to the woods beside the road and followed, ducking into the trees every time they turned around. They were drunk enough that they didn’t notice her. They suddenly turned off the road onto a small trail. Finally they arrived at the farm. There was a group of people gathered around a large fire.

Arya slipped into the back of the crowd to see the Red Woman standing so close to the fire she was almost in it. She was chanting in another language with her arms outstretched, facing the flames. Arya looked through the flames to see Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr watching Melisandre chant. The Red Woman suddenly stopped chanting and turned on her heels, making eye contact with Arya.

“I told you we would meet again,” Melisandre said. She looked as young and beautiful as ever, her bright red hair flowing into her red dress. Arya wondered how she wasn’t freezing. “Come forward.”

Arya slipped through the men and changed her voice a bit lower, quietly saying, “We haven’t met, my lady. I saw the fire and—“

“Do you remember what I told you?” Arya held her gaze and flashed back to that moment.

_I see a darkness in you. And in that darkness eyes staring back at me. Brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes. Eyes you’ll shut forever._

The corner of Melisandre’s mouth turned upwards. “How many eyes did you shut, Arya Stark?” asked Melisandre.

Arya raised an eyebrow, wondering how Melisandre knew. She felt along her jawline until she found the edge of the face, pulling it off to reveal her own. A few people around her took steps back in shock. She grinned as the cold winter air kissed her face and said, “You really are a witch.”

She stuffed the face into a hidden pocket inside her coat where she kept the others. She pulled out _Needle_ and pointed it at Melisandre. “You know who I am but do you know why I’m here?” The other men around the fire pulled out their own swords and she heard Anguy pull back his bowstring. The steel poked into Melisandre’s neck, not hard enough to cut her.

“Think about what you’re doing, Lady Stark,” said Beric as he walked over. “Before you get yourself hurt.”

Arya sneered. “Don’t act all high and mighty, Beric. I’ll get to you in a minute,” she said. She glared at Melisandre. “What did you do to Gendry?”

“I didn’t kill him, if that’s what you’re implying,” said Melisandre. “He escaped Dragonstone. I don’t know what happened to him.”

Arya clenched her jaw, turning her head to Beric and Thoros. “Gendry was loyal to you!” she yelled. “And you sold him for a bag of gold. I thought you were supposed to protect the innocent. And you sold him for a fucking bag of gold!”

Arya suddenly lowered her sword, feeling nauseous. She gazed at the three people on her list and sighed. For the first time in years, she felt like it wasn’t worth killing someone. 

“Lady Stark,” started Thoros. “Let us take you home. We are going North to serve King Jon Snow.”

Arya rolled her eyes. “So you can ransom me to them? I’ll pass. I’m going to King’s Landing,” she said. “Someone has to kill Cersei.”

“We can’t allow you to go alone, Lady Stark,” said Beric.

“Try and stop me,” she said. “And Lady Stark is my moth-“ she cleared her throat. “Sister,” she corrected.

“I’ll go with her,” called a gruff voice from the back of the group. A voice Arya knew very well. She slowly turned to see the Hound lumbering forward, towering over the other men. “If anyone is going to kill my brother, it’s me.”

"Fine by me," quietly muttered Arya, studying the Hound for a moment. “See you all in hell,” she tossed over her shoulder as she walked away. The crowd parted before her, glancing at the face she held in her hand.

She turned at the edge of the barn, heading out of sight from the other men. The Hound followed closely behind her. She turned her head a bit as she walked towards the road, saying, “I thought you were dead. How’d you—“

The Hound grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and slammed her against the barn’s wall. “I should kill you for what you did to me,” he growled. “Leaving me to die after I protected you. I could have turned you in for all of the gold in the world.”

“Don’t act so fucking innocent!” yelled Arya. “I could have been with worse people, sure, but you were no septon. We can stand here arguing about the past or we can get to King’s Landing before these flurries turn into a blizzard. You survived, Hound. Let’s just put our differences behind us.”

He slowly released his grip on her neck. She rubbed it a bit and glared at him. She looked him up and down. He looked just as healthy as before and was wearing mismatched and banged-up armor. A large sword hung on his hip. When she looked into his eyes, however, she realized it wasn’t the same Hound she had known. The rage she had normally seen in his brown eyes was gone. 

“Once we get supplies and horses, we’ll leave,” said the Hound. “Try not to kill anyone. I’m not going to save your sorry arse until we get to King’s Landing.”

…

Sneaking into the city was hard enough. Cersei had implemented a lockdown, not allowing anyone in or out. Pots of oil sat on the castle walls, waiting to be boiled so they could be poured on Daenerys Targaryen’s troops. Arya used the pretty serving girl’s face to seduce one of the guards, making up a story about a sick relative that she and her father needed to visit. She flirted and teased until he allowed them to enter. The Hound kept his hood up and his head down.

Once they passed through the city’s gates, Arya pulled off the face. She shoved it into a hidden pocket inside her coat. “Amazing what a pretty face can do to a man,” she said with a grin. “They lose their wits as soon as a girl looking like that walks by.”

“It’s fucking disturbing,” said the Hound. “Where did you learn that?”

“Braavos,” said Arya. “I told you I was going there.”

“Aye,” said the Hound. “You did.” They ducked into a narrow alley as a group of Gold Cloaks marched by, patrolling the streets. The guard at the gate told Arya that the Queen implemented a strict curfew. By sundown no one was allowed on the streets. When the guards passed, the Hound turned a sharp corner. They stuck close to the shadows created by the buildings.

“There’s an Inn up ahead,” he said, wrapping a scarf around his head. Only his eyes showed. The burn was still noticeable but less so if he kept his head down. “The owners mind their business for enough gold. We’ll stay there. I can’t go out into the city without being recognized. You’re going to have to sneak around.”

Arya grinned. “No problem,” she said. With her training, sneaking around was easy.

They made it to the Inn. They opened the door and immediately felt the warmth from the room. A husband and wife sat at a table in the center of a cramped dining room, bent over a half melted candle.

“Hello,” shyly said Arya, keeping her head down. “My father and I would like a room for the night.”

The grey haired woman looked quite suspicious, eyeing the two. “There’s a curfew, you know. Anyone caught after dark is whipped.”

The Hound dropped a golden dragon on the table. “There’s more where that came from if you stop asking questions,” he said in a gruff tone.

Her husband snatched up the coin as if he thought the Hound would take it back, biting it to make sure it was real. He nodded to his wife and she smiled a toothless smile. “Follow me upstairs. The Hound and Arya followed the woman up a narrow set of stairs, each step creaking along the way. “We don’t serve breakfast or lunch here. You’ll have to do that somewhere else. We’ll ring a bell at dinner. If you miss it, you’ll go hungry. All I ask is that you keep your dirty boots off my bed.”

“Of course,” said Arya as they stopped at a door. The woman opened it, allowing the two to enter. “Thank you for your hospitality,” said Arya, shutting the door softly behind her. When the door was finally closed she rolled her eyes and muttered, “Bitch.”

She looked around the room. It was tiny and had a horrible smell, probably coming from the mattress. Upon closer inspection it was crawling with bed bugs. Arya had slept in much worse places but as dangerous the House of Black and White was, she missed her bed in Braavos. A single candle sat on a small table next to the bed. The Hound dumped his bag on the floor and began to pull off his armor.

Arya took one look around the room and said, “I’m going out.”

“Already?” asked the Hound. “It took us two weeks to get here.”

“I don’t need to rest,” said Arya. “I need to kill Cersei.”

She strode over to the small window, struggling to open it. “Come on,” she muttered. The damned thing was stuck. The Hound came over and pushed it up with one hand. “Be careful,” he warned.

She swung halfway out the window and said, “I’ll try.”

Once she was outside again, she felt like she could breathe. She scaled to the roof of the building this time, nearly slipping because of the ice. She wished she was as good of a climber as Bran used to be.

She walked along the roofs for sometime, leaping from one to another when she heard voices carrying across a plaza. She glanced down and saw two Gold Cloaks walking together.

"...and she's acting fucking crazier than usual," said one of the men. "Her brother was keeping her in line but ever since the Dragon Queen landed in Dorne, she's gone off."

"We should get out of the city while we can. I heard that bitch is going to close the gates in a few days. And those barrels the Red Cloaks have been moving around the city...what do you think is in them?"

Arya stayed crouched as she followed the men, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Her training with the Faceless Men was paying off, since her boots made no sound on the red tiled roofs.

"Take a guess. What did she use to burn the Sept of Baelor?" 

"You don't think...why would she burn down her own city?" 

"Because when Daenerys Targaryen attacks the city with her dragons, she'll use fire. Either Cersei is going to hold it hostage or...she'll let the whole thing burn. She knows she'll lose the battle. She just won't let anyone else win." 

The two men stopped and stood in silence, seemingly coming to the same conclusion as they stripped off their cloaks and took off down the street, abandoning their position.

Arya smiled as they disappeared. She was glad some people were resisting Cersei.

But she had a smaller timeframe than she realized. If Cersei was willing to destroy the entire city when Daenerys Targaryen attacked, Arya had to act before the Dragon Queen got here. She climbed off the roof and rubbed her hands together, breathing in deeply with her nose. The cold air practically burned her nostrils and she smelled the faint smell of smoke.

She walked out of an alley to see that she was in Baelor’s Square, standing right next to the Statue of Baelor. She looked up at the white marble monstrosity, thinking of her father’s execution on the stairs of the Sept.

She was confused for a moment when she didn’t see the Sept of Baelor until she realized there was a huge pile of burned rubble in its place. She slowly walked across the large square, seeing scorch marks and pieces of brick along the ground. She finally stood in front of the remains of the Sept, thinking back to the guard's words; Cersei had burned the Sept of Baelor with wildfire. She had heard legends of the green, extremely flammable material, wondering how Cersei got her hands on it.

Arya shook her head with a frown, wondering how many people died in the fire. She turned her back on the Sept’s scorched remains, wandering through the streets. She avoided three more patrols until she found herself at the bottom of the hill on the Street of Steel.

She slowly began to walk up the hill, looking at all of the armorer's shops. Since it was well after midnight, she was hoping she could find one with a lit up window. She had no such luck. 

She walked got halfway up the hill when she realized she wouldn't be able to afford any higher. The best blacksmiths in King's Landing were higher on Visenya's Hill. She stopped and she looked at the mediocre shop in front of her, reading the signs.

Most just had signs of hammers and anvils since most people couldn't read. One sign in particular caught her eye: a bull. Her eyes widened as she ran forward, frantically knocking on the door.  _I lost him in the Riverlands_ , she thought. She began to knock harder and harder.

The door swung open and a large man stood there, yelling, "Do you have any idea what time it is! I'm trying to sleep!"

Arya’s mouth dropped open as she stared at him. He was wearing a white shirt that was covered in soot and a pair of loose breeches. His messy black hair hung into his blue eyes as he stifled a yaw. After a moment, Arya launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Gendry!" she yelled with delight. "You're...you're alive! I can't believe it!"

He blinked a few times, his electric blue eyes focusing on her own. "Arya?" he gasped. "How...why are you here?" She let go of him as he shut the door, rubbing his eyes. "This isn't a good time to be visiting King's Landing."

"I'm not here on vacation," said Arya as she pulled off her cloak, placing it on a table. She was wearing a simple tan tunic, a pair of brown breeches, and a leather jerkin. Her dark brown hair was braided halfway down her back. "I'm here for unfinished business."

Gendry narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Where have you been?” he asked. He looked good. Slightly paler from when she last saw him, but he seemed to be a bit taller and stronger. He hadn't shaved in a few days and was covered in soot. 

“I went to Essos for a bit,” she said. “I arrived back in King’s Landing about a month ago and have been finishing a few things.”

She leaned against one of his workbenches, looking around the shop. It was tiny, an anvil and forge in the corner along with other tools he needed. There was a fire burning in the forge already. There were some display tables in the front and plenty of cabinets holding his materials. In the other corner sat a small cot. 

"I know it's not much but it's better than working as an apprentice," he said, looking around the shop. He self-consciously began to rearrange knives, swords, and chainmail. "Melisandre took my to Stannis Baratheon. She told me that I am Robert Baratheon's bastard, probably the only one left. I was chased out of King's Landing in the first place because Queen Cersei wanted all of Robert's bastards killed. They used my blood for some sort of ritual but I escaped with the help of Stannis's right hand man. I've been here ever since, working odd jobs for some armorers until I could buy my own shop."

"Stannis Baratheon is dead too," said Arya. "You're the only person with Baratheon blood left in Westeros."

Gendry ran his fingers through his messy black hair and shrugged. "Won't matter anyway. I wouldn't claim that. Nobles make big targets," he said. 

Arya snorted out a laugh. “Tell me about it. I’ve been waiting five years to get revenge on some of them.”

"You're not finishing your list, are you?"

Arya rolled her eyes. "Why else do you think I'm here? Don’t worry, I’m not being too vengeful. I ignored three names on it last week. And since Dragon Queen approaching the city, Cersei will be dead in a few weeks anyway. I'm just doing our new Queen a favor," she said with a wolfish grin. 

Gendry clenched his jaw. "You have family left in the North," he said.

"That's what the rumors say. But I need to finish this, Gendry.”

He slowly shook his head and said, “You’re going to get yourself killed. Queen Cersei is insane, Arya. She blew up the Sept during her own trial and she uses some zombie to do her bidding. If you’re found out after curfew you are immediately executed. If there is any suspicion of disloyalty or spying you are immediately executed. No trial, no investigation. I was stupid enough to come back here. I’ve been going by Gene instead of Gendry to avoid any suspicion.”

Arya frowned. “You need to get out of here,” she said. “The situation is worse than you realize. Apparently she’s been hiding wildfire all around the city. And since Daenerys Targaryen is already marching through the South, the entire city might get blown up.”

“I’m not leaving,” he said stubbornly. “I was forced out of here once. I won’t let it happen again.”

“I guess we both don’t listen to good advice,” she said. She picked up a dagger and began to examine it; Gendry was extremely skilled.

“I heard a rumor a few weeks ago that you might be interested in,” said Gendry. “Tywin Lannister had Tobho Mott melt down your father’s sword and gave one half to his son Jaime and the other to Joffrey. When Joffrey died they buried him under the Sept with the sword. After it burned down, looters were going through the rubble to look for items of value. They found a Valyrian steel sword with a melted gold hilt and took it to the shop on the top of the hill. The armorer reforged the hilt and is waiting to sell the sword.”

“I thought that was Tobho Mott’s shop,” said Arya with clenched fists. This was the Stark's ancestral sword, her family's sword. She'd be damned if she let the Lannisters or anyone else keep it. “Didn’t you work for him?”

Gendry nodded. “Tobho was a good man but he was known for saying treasonous things about the Queen. One of his apprentices sent word to the Queen and took over his shop after his execution.” Gendry’s eyes darkened. “I would kill the bastard myself but I don’t want to draw any attention.”

“Do you know if it’s still there?” she asked.

“Last I heard, he was trying to find a buyer from out of the city. He didn’t want the Queen to find out that he was selling her dead son’s sword,” he said. “It’s the shop at the top of the hill with the black and white doors. Best shop in King’s Landing. At least it used to be,” Gendry said.

“I have to go,” suddenly said Arya, placing the dagger down. She reached out and grabbed his hand. “Thank you, Gendry. I’m glad you’re ok.”

“Are…are you coming back?” he asked hopefully.

Arya smiled. “Don’t worry, I need to find a way into the castle before I can kill her. And now I need to steal back my family’s sword,” she said.

“Just be careful,” he warned, walking her to the door. “If they catch you…”

“Don’t worry about me, Gendry,” said Arya as her hand closed around the knob. “I’m the safest person in Westeros.”

She pulled the hood of her cloak up and walked outside, heading up the hill. Gendry had done pretty well for himself, considering he got to King’s Landing in a rowboat with only the clothes on his back. Still, it was dangerous for him to be in the city when Daenerys Targaryen attacked. After she killed Cersei, she was going to try and convince him to come to Winterfell.

…

Arya decided to continue exploring the city after she left Gendry’s shop. She made a point to scope out the Red Keep but found that it was getting close to dawn. She made her way back to the Inn just as people started coming out of their homes. They looked exhausted, nervous, and starving. She struggled to climb up the wall to their window, knowing she couldn’t raise suspicion by walking through the front door. When she finally made it up and tapped on the glass for the Hound to open it, dropping in and rubbing her hands together.

“Where have you been?” he asked.

“All over,” said Arya. Cersei destroyed the entire Sept. Burned it down with wildfire. All of the other nobles in the city were inside. She’s been moving wildfire around the city so when Daenerys Targaryen tries to use her dragons, she’ll burn the whole thing down.”

“Seven fucking hells,” said the Hound. “The bitch has gone off the deep end.”

“Your brother isn’t the same either,” said Arya. “They described him as some sort of zombie.” Arya shook her head.

She pulled off her boots and climbed onto the bed. “I’ll go out again in a few hours. Gotta go see about a sword…” she mumbled. Before she could finish explaining, she began to snore.

…

She walked up the hill to Tobho Mott’s old shop, yawning as she didn’t get much sleep. After she had taken her nap she went out again (without a curfew in place) to see King’s Landing in the daylight. Her fist stop was Tobho Mott’s old shop to see of the Valyrian steel sword was still there. When she asked an attendant about it at the door, the slammed it in her face.

Now it was night again and she was sneaking around the city. She reached the two story building, raising an eyebrow when she saw the familiar black and white doors. She wondered if Tobho had realized the Faceless Men had the same doors. Arya shrugged and pulled out the small lock picking kit she kept looped on her belt, grabbing the necessary tools to begin working on the lock.

She picked the lock in record time, slowly pushing the door open so it wouldn’t creak. She crept through the display room seeing beautiful swords, sets of armor, and other weapons. Finally, she noticed the Valyrian steel sword sitting on a display case in the center of the room. She slowly walked over, stopping in front of the blade.

It was much thinner than _Ice_ was. The smokey ripples stood out on the steel. The sheath and hilt were relatively simple, wrapped with black leather and silver colored metal. She reached out and wrapped her fingers around the hilt, swinging the sword through the air. The steel was more lightweight than she ever expected. She grabbed the sheath and hooked onto her sword belt, putting the blade away with a satisfying hiss.

 _I’ll have to find a new name for you,_ she thought. _You’re not Ice anymore._

She heard footsteps from upstairs and quickly slipped out the door, climbing onto the roof and crouching down. She heard shouting from the blacksmith’s shop a few moments later, a small smile growing on her face as she leapt from rooftop to rooftop. The wind was howling tonight as she pulled her cloak tighter around her, heading to the Red Keep to see what else she could find.

After a few hours she headed back to the Inn to speak with the Hound, sticking to roofs most of the way. When she finally climbed through the window and the Hound shut it behind her, she sighed with relief.

“You’re going to get frostbite if you keep going out in that weather,” he said. “At least get a pair of gloves.”

Arya suddenly grinned. “Frostbite!” she yelled. “That’s perfect.” She immediately pulled out the blade, the Hound taking a step back.

“Where the fuck did you get that sword?” he asked.

“I stole it,” shrugged Arya. “It’s half of my father’s sword, _Ice._ Tywin Lannister had it melted down and gave half to his son and half to Joffrey. This is Joffrey’s half with a reforged bladed. It belongs to the Starks,” she said defensively.

The Hound simply turned at sat at the chair in the corner of the room, re-lacing his boots.

“But _Frostbite_ is the perfect name for this sword,” she said.

“Only cunts name their swords,” muttered the Hound.

“I know,” said Arya, rolling her eyes as she put away the blade. “You’ve told me.” She rummaged through her bag, pulling out a stone to sharpen her daggers. She began to work on the smaller one she kept in her boot.

“Have you found an entrance yet?” asked the Hound.

“I was looking for most of today,” admitted Arya. “But I’ll find it soon.”

“I’m going downstairs,” muttered the Hound. “I need a fucking drink.” He lumbered out the door, Arya hearing his heavy footsteps as he made his way downstairs.

…

Arya went out after getting a few hours of rest, deciding to search for an entrance during the day. She went out the front door of the Inn, giving the Hound a nod. It was beginning to snow, small flakes coating her cloak. She pulled the hood up and walked to the large castle, breathing heavily by the time she got there.

After about two hours, she found a blind spot between two guard towers. As long as the Hound could climb the red brick wall they could get into the castle. She happily grinned and walked back to the Inn to tell the Hound the good news.

When she finally got back and rounded the corner to their street, she saw two horses tied to a post in front of the Inn. The smile disappeared from her face and she felt that something was wrong. She decided to be extremely careful and pulled on a different face. Not the pretty serving girl she used to kill Walder Frey but another plain looking tan girl with long blonde hair. She pulled her cloak around her sword belt to hide the weapons.

She walked in the shop, the bell ringing. She was surprised to see two Gold Cloaks sitting at one of the tables. They jumped up when she entered and placed their hands on their swords.

“It’s not her,” said the Inn Keep from the bar. “She goes out for hours every day.”

The Gold Cloaks slumped back in their chairs. “We already have the Hound muttered,” one of the men. “Why do we need his whore?”

“Queen’s orders,” shrugged the other man. “If you have a problem, take it up with her.”

“I want to keep my head, thank you very much,” responded the other man.

Walked over the the Inn Keep and asked, “How much for one night?” She changed her voice to make it much higher so the man wouldn’t recognize it.

“Three coppers,” said the man, not looking up from wiping the counter.

Arya bit her lip. “I can give you one,” she said. “Please, it’s so cold.”

“Do I look like I’m running a charity?” snapped the man. “Get out! I don’t need beggars in here.”

Arya put her head down and quickly walked towards the door. As she passed the Gold Cloaks, one yelled, “I can keep you warm tonight.”

She simply slammed the door shut behind her, leaning against it. “Fuck,” she muttered. The Hound was arrested and the Queen wanted the Gold Cloaks to find her. At least they didn’t know who she was.

She thought about where she should go next. She needed to rescue the Hound but there was no way she was getting into the castle during the day. And there as only one other person she knew in King’s Landing. She walked down the street and ducked into a narrow alley, climbing on the roof.

She stuck to the roofs as she made her way to the Street of Steel. The ground was coated in a thin layer of powder and she didn’t want to leave any footprints.

She quickly and carefully made her way over to Gendry’s shop; it wouldn’t do her or the Hound any good if she fell of the roof and broke a leg on the cobbled streets. She almost slipped a few times as the snow grew heavier. When she finally made it she climbed down the building and knocked out the door. She was covered in a thin sheen of sweat and was breathing heavily. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was tired or so nervous. A second before it opened, she pulled off her face and shoved it into a pocket.

Gendry opened the door and raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I didn’t think you were coming back,” he said in a surprised tone. He suspiciously looked around, glancing back at her.

Arya pushed past him and slammed the door, sliding the wooden bolt across to lock it. She took a deep breath and turned back to Gendry. “The Hound was arrested,” said Arya. She ran her hands through her hair. “The Gold Cloaks are looking for me too.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” said Gendry, holding up his hands. “What do you mean the Hound? Why do you care?” Arya didn’t answer for a moment, realizing she didn’t tell Gendry she came to King’s Landing with the Hound.

“You’re not working, with him, are you?” he asked.

“We both want to kill Cersei and the Mountain,” finally said Arya.

Gendry clenched his jaw. “You hated him!” he yelled. “And now you’re putting me in danger. Do you know what they’ll do to me if they find that I’ve been hiding you?”

Arya coldly held his glare and said, “If you want me to leave, I will. I am only staying until sundown.”

He sighed and walked over to a stool next to his work bench, plopping down. “You can stay here,” he said after a moment. “But you really should think about leaving the city before Cersei finds you.”

“I can’t leave the Hound,” said Arya, shaking her head. “And I came here for a reason. I’m so close to killing her.” She thought of her father’s execution and the Red Wedding. “The Lannisters destroyed me family. I won’t let them get away with it.”

Gendry sighed, knowing he wouldn’t be able to convince her otherwise. “And you think I’m stubborn,” he said. Arya smiled a bit. “What should we do to pass the time?”

She looked around the shop and saw a half finished sword laying on a table. “Show me what you do,” said Arya, pointing at the metal.

Gendry seemed surprised but after a moment he stood up, picking up a hammer. “Alright,” he said. And he began to show Arya how to forge a broad sword.

…

When it was finally dark enough, Arya told Gendry she had to leave. He had finished forging the broad swords in the time she was with him. She was surprised with how quickly Gendry produced the sword and wondered why his shop wasn’t higher on the Street of Steel. Gendry said he wanted to keep his prices fair so the common people could afford his merchandise and that he couldn’t attract any attention to himself.

“Thank you,” Arya said softly as she stood at the door. Her cloak was pulled tightly around her as it was snowing much heavier than it was before.

“Good luck, Arya,” he said. “Just be careful. If they catch you alive…”

“I’ll be fine, Gendry. I always have been,” she said easily. She opened the door and was blasted with snow.

“If you somehow make it out of this alive, I’ll be here,” he said.

Arya smiled sadly and shut the door behind her, making the long and cold walk to the Red Keep. The snow was up to her ankles and she was glad for her knee-high boots. She was lucky that the Street of Steel was relatively close to the castle. She didn’t bother to stick to the roofs, instead relying on the heavy snow to cover her tracks.

She was shivering by the time she made it to the castle and was glad that the snow would reduce visibility. She gazed up at the high brick wall and took a deep breath, finding handholds as she began to climb. She ignored how numb her fingers were, instead remembering when she and Bran would climb the weirwood tree in the Godswood together. She was never as fast as him, of course, but she always forced herself to climb as high. By the time she made it to the top of the wall she was shaking, not sure if it was from the cold or her nerves.

She noticed a guard station to the side and crept to it, peeking through a crack in the door. Two Red Cloaks were hunched over a brazier, complaining about the cold. Arya pulled out a dagger and _Frostbite,_ throwing the door open. Before the guards could react she through the dagger into one of their throats and stabbing the other.

Once she was sure they were both dead, she cleaned off her blades and sheathed them. She warmed herself by the fire for a few minutes before finally deciding to move on. She took one of the guard’s red cloaks and pulled it over her own so she could walk through the courtyard. She walked back outside and braced the snow, climbing the ladder that lead to the courtyard. It was completely empty; she didn’t even see any guards patrolling.

She had to climb through a window to get into the castle. She peeked through the frosted glass before to see that the kitchen was empty, pried open the window, and rolled inside. She left the cloak stuffed into a cabinet and began to sneak through the castle.

It was freezing and empty. She knew that Cersei’s suites were in Maegor’s Holdfast but she didn’t want to risk waiting there. The Hound could be dead by now for all she knew.

If he was still alive, they would be holding him in the Black Cells. From what she remembered when she lived here with Sansa and her father, the entrance was relatively close to the kitchens. She wandered through the halls, looking for a passageway to the Black Cells, when she heard noises coming from around the corner. She ducked into a dark doorway and waited, watching a huge group of Red Cloaks pass.

They were dragging along a prisoner with a bag over his head. A prisoner with very familiar armor. _You’ve saved me the trouble,_ she thought.

One of the guards savagely jabbed the Hound with the butt of his spear. “All of that strength but nowhere to focus it, eh Hound?” he jeered. “If you’re lucky, the Queen will take only your head.” The guards began to laugh and Arya gripped _Frostbite’s_ hilt.

She waited until the group was far enough away to follow them. They were taking the Hound to the Great Hall. She remembered exploring the Red Keep years before when she found a passage that lead to the balcony above the Great Hall. The ladies of the court used to stand and watch there. She found the right doorway and slowly crept through, crouching down and peaking over the edge of the balcony. Voices were echoing throughout the Great Hall.

Cersei sat on the Iron Throne, a tall man in black robes standing in front of her. He held a clay pot in his hands. 

Arya clenched her fists, seeing Cersei for the first time in five years. She didn't have the long blonde hair that Arya remembered. It was as short as her own when Yoren cut it. A gold and silver crown sat on her head and she wore a black dress that looked like it had armor sewn in. She was sitting on the Iron Throne, listening to a tall man in black robes speak to her.

The Mountain stood to her right, a helm sitting on his head even though he was inside. She surveyed the Throne Room. Large, metallic braziers were ablaze, the fire flickering off the walls. There were barrels sitting on the floor, Arya wondering what they held. Behind the tall man stood the rest of the Queen's Guard. In total, there were seven armed men.

"The wildfire is being moved around the city like you asked, my Queen," said the man. "If Daenerys Targaryen tries to attack us using her dragons, the city will burn."

Arya raised her eyebrows with shock, wondering what happened to make Cersei this insane. A soft smile played on her lips. "Good," she said. "Send a messenger to their troops, informing them of the consequences of their actions. Thank you, Qyburn."

Qyburn bowed. "That reminds me. The Starks responded to your raven. The King—"

"—Don't call him 'king'," rudely interrupted Cersei. "That bastard is no king. Just another insurgent."

"My apologies," he said. "But they refuse to recognize your sovereignty in the North."

"Let them have their fun," said Cersei. "Once we defeat the Dragon Queen's army, we can move onto retaking the North. There is only one true born Stark left. The others are dead or missing. They're a dying breed."

Arya bared her teeth.  _Dying breed?_  she thought.  _The Starks are coming back stronger than ever. I am going to end the Lannisters._

She was snapped out of her thoughts when the doors to the hall swung open, twenty Red Cloaks walking in along with the rest of the Queen's Guard and a bald man with a large sword. When Arya looked closer, she realized it was Ilyn Payne. 

 _The gods have given me a gift,_ she thought.  _Three people on my list in the same place._

They pulled the bag off of the Hound’s head and Arya saw that half his face was covered in blood.

"Hound," said Cersei with an amused smile. "Rumor had it you died in the Riverlands."

"Rumor had it my brother was turned into a monster," he spat out. 

Cersei smiled a bit. "Sometimes rumor holds truth," she said. She gestured to the tall man standing beside her. "After my brother's trial by combat, the Mountain suffered a fatal accident. Qyburn was able to save his life."

"You should have let him die," he said in a raspy tone. "Are we going to get this over with?"

"Not just yet," said Cersei. "I want to know what you were doing in the city. And where is the girl that was with you?”

The Hound threw his head back and laughed. "Why should I tell you anything?" he asked. "You're going to kill me anyway."

“I am going to kill you,” said Cersei, drumming her fingers on the throne. “But I can prolong your death. You have the choice between a quick or a slow one.“

Arya hopped over the balcony and landed on the marble floor without making a sound. She let her cloak fall to the ground and pulled out her new sword with a satisfying hiss. 

“How about neither?” asked Arya with a grin.

The guards turned and pulled out their own swords. The Queen's Guard stayed with Clegane, but four Red Cloaks approached her. 

"Put down your steel!" yelled one of the guards.

Arya spun her sword in her left hand, baring her teeth as she drove her sword through the first guard's neck. Blood poured out of the wound as she pulled her sword out, water dancing away from the other guards's blades.

She easily disarmed two guards with one swing of her sword, killing them. She shoved her sword through the last guard's breastplate, yanking out the sword as she blew loose strands of hair out of her face. The whole ordeal lasted no longer than half a minute and the room fell silent.

"The Starks aren't a dying breed," she said, her grey eyes blazing with anger. "The Lannisters are."

More guards hesitantly began to take a step forward before Cersei held up her hand. "Just a moment," she said. "This is turning out to be quite an interesting day. Who are you?"

"You don't recognize me?" asked Arya with a slight smile. "We've met before, Cersei. I mean, I traveled from Winterfell to King's Landing with you. Most of the way, at least. We separated once my wolf attacked your cunt of a son.”

Cersei looked at her with disdain and said, "Arya Stark. Returning from the dead?" 

"Something like that. I'm not going to let you to execute Clegane," said Arya. "If anyone deserves to die, it's you." 

Cersei let out a low laugh. "Lady Stark, didn't the Hound kill your butcher's boy along the King's Road?" she asked.

Arya clenched her sword and didn't respond. The Hand standing next to her began to speak. "Sandor Clegane been wanted for treason since the Battle of Blackwater Bay. You've just threatened a Queen, so there will be two executions today." 

“I was the girl who came to King’s Landing with the Hound. We’ve had our differences but we agree on one thing: you and the Mountain deserve to die,” said Arya.

She pulled a dagger out of her pocket, throwing it near the Hound and the Queen's Guard. They jumped out of the way but Arya purposely missed, the knife landing at the Hound's feet. 

He kicked the guard standing closest to him and began to free himself, Arya throwing herself into battle. She began to cut through Red Cloaks as quickly as possible as the Hound freed himself, grabbing a sword from a dead soldier and stepping beside her. 

"Why did you come here?" he asked as they cut down the last Red Cloak. Six members of the Queen's Guard surrounded them. "This is a death mission."

“You know me,” said Arya. “We agreed to kill Cersei and the Mountain. I couldn’t let her kill you.”

"Coming to protect me, wolf girl?" asked the Hound. "I thought I was on your list."

"Shut up and duck!" she yelled as a a sword whizzed over his head. He swung the sword with both hands and chopped off the guard's head. Blood spurted out of the neck, spraying all over them. "I took you off my list, idiot."

As the Hound took on the last two members of the Queen's Guard, Arya slowly walked towards Ilyn Payne. 

"You killed my father with his own sword," she said with gritted teeth. "I watched it happen. I know you're just a Lannister lackey but my father used to say something very important. 'The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.' He had a code of honor you obviously lack, and for that reason I'm going to kill you."

Ilyn Payne simply stared at her with his pale, dead eyes. "Seven hells," said Arya, smacking her forehead with her hand. "I forgot you don't have a tongue!"

Payne responded flying forward with his sword. He was much faster than Arya anticipated. In fact, he was a much better swordsman than Arya anticipated. She thought he just knew how to swing a great sword to chop off someone's head. She winced as his sword sliced into her arm. 

Arya pulled out _Needle_ with her right hand, using two swords instead of one. While she blocked Ilyn's blows with _Frostbite_ , she tried to poke him full of holes with  _Needle_. 

She managed to stab him two times in the stomach before he fought dirty and punched her in the face. She stumbled backwards, her mouth beginning to bleed. She clenched her jaw and parried his blows, glancing out of the corner of her eye to see the Hound kill the last two members of the Queens Guard. She continued to hold off Payne's ferocious blows as the Hound swung with the flat side of his sword, making Payne drop his sword. Arya chopped off his hand with  _Frostbite_.

Payne dropped to his knees, his mouth open with a silent scream. "Any last words?" asked Arya in an amused tone. He glared at her with eyes full of pain. "Of course not."

She slit his throat with a smile and thought,  _Two to go._

Arya spun both swords in her hands, glaring at Cersei. She noticed that her body was already aching and they hadn't faced the Mountain yet. The Queen didn't look phased by their show and just raised an eyebrow. 

"Where have you been all of these years?" she asked. "You've grown up. Gone is the little girl who hid in the forest after she sicced her dog on my son."

"It's none of your business where I went. Just know that I don't hide from those who want to hurt my family anymore," said Arya. "I hunt them down and kill them."

"I'm sure you've had a lot of luck with that," said Cersei in an amused tone. 

"Just ask Walder Frey. Or his two sons. Or maybe Meryn Trant," said Arya. "Oh wait, you can't. Because I killed them. I killed Meryn Trant in a whorehouse in Braavos months ago. I slit Walder Frey's throat after I baked his two sons into a pie and watched him eat them.”

There was another stretch of silence, the Hound turning to her with a disturbed look on his face. "Seven hells," he said. 

Surprisingly, Cersei looked slightly impressed. "I didn't order your father's execution, Lady Arya," said Cersei. "Joffrey did it after we agreed to send him to the Wall. That was a fair punishment for treason," said Cersei.

"My father wasn't a traitor!" yelled Arya. 

"I know," said Cersei. "I ignored my husband's dying orders of naming your father Protector of the Realm until Joffrey came of age. Lord Stark knew that Joffrey wasn't Robert's child." Arya almost dropped her jaw in shock. "Your father thought he had Littlefinger on his side but Petyr lied and your father was arrested. I didn't want a war, Lady Arya, but I will fight to the last man." 

Cersei waved her left hand, the Mountain slowly walking down the stairs as he pulled out his huge, two handed great-sword. "Kill your brother. Lady Stark will be useful as a hostage."

Arya and the Hound tensed as he said, "Stay out of my way, wolf girl. I can handle my brother."

She glanced into the Mountain's helm and saw that the skin around his eyes was rotted and purple. His eyes were completely black and had no expression. It didn't even look like he was breathing. "There's something wrong with him," said Arya. "I don't think he's human anymore."

"He was never human," roared the Hound as his sword met the Mountain's. 

Arya ignored him and stabbed the chink in the Mountain’s armor,  _Frostbite_ going through his back. She pulled out the sword and noticed that it was covered in thick, disgusting black blood. 

The Mountain didn't make a sound as he continued to swing his sword at the Hound. Sandor tried to block it but merely deflected it, the sword cutting into his shoulder. He let out a roar of pain and reeled backwards, nearly dropping his sword. 

The Mountain slowly turned towards Arya, seemingly unaffected. She craned her neck to look at his face as he raised his sword with two hands. Arya dove sideways and rolled out of the way. The Mountain continued to attack.

Arya's arm grew numb from the vibrations. She threw everything she had into fighting him, but he was too strong. As their swords were locked, the Mountain punched her in the stomach. She flew backwards, feeling three ribs crack on impact. 

The Hound came to her side, yanking her up with one hand. He said, "He's stronger than I remember." He was very out of breath and was covered with cuts and bruises. Arya realized she was in the same shape. 

"And I've stabbed him three times. He's a monster," said Arya. She wheezed a few times because of the pain in her ribs. "We have to cut off his head."

The Hound nodded and went straight for his brother's skull. He managed to dent the side of his helm. Arya came from behind and began to hack at the Mountain's neck. The Mountain disarmed Arya, her two swords flying away. He cut open her hand and knocked her to the ground, raising his foot and stomping on her shin as hard as he could. She felt the bone shatter and screamed in pain. 

Spots danced in her vision and she focused on not passing out. She heard the Hound and the Mountian's swords clang together as she clenched her leg and groaned. The Mountain sliced into his brother's stomach, Arya yelling, "No!" She thought that he was done, but the Hound growled and chopped off the Mountain's head. The stump didn't even bleed as his huge body crashed to the ground. The Hound took a step towards Arya before collapsing. 

"Hound!" choked out Arya. She grimaced and dragged herself towards him as blood pooled out of his stomach. He was coughing up blood by the time she reached him. "You can't die now."

He looked at her with a small smile. "Aye, I can. It's my time, wolf girl," he said. 

"Hound, you—"

"Don't let your vengeance consume you," he said. “It’s no way to live your life. And it's Sandor." He let out one last, ragged breath and his eyes glazed over.

Arya felt her throat grow tight with tears. She looked up at the Iron Throne to see Cersei sitting there with an eerie smile. Her Hand was watching with indifference. "Qyburn, go fetch some more guards. And leave the wildfire." 

He bowed deeply and slowly walked out of the Throne room, shutting the door behind him. Arya laid her head back on the marbled floor, gritting her teeth in pain. 

Cersei stood up and smoothed down her dress, picking up the pot Qyburn had placed on the floor. She slowly walked over, tilting her head as she watched Arya groan in pain. 

"I won't survive the winter," Cersei said calmly. "The Dragon Queen is closing in. By the rate she's going, she'll be here in two days. I've hidden wildfire underneath the entire city. The Dragonpit, Flea Bottom, the Street of Steel, every gate, and even the Red Keep. We'll close our gates when Daenerys Targaryen arrives and when she attacks with her dragons, the entire city will be destroyed. I'm no fool. I have no army, no money, and no support from the people. I've only kept power by ruling with an iron fist and killing those who speak out. I know I will lose the city. But when I do, there won't be a city left."

Arya's jaw dropped. She snapped it shut and spat out, "They should be calling you the Mad Queen!"

Cersei chuckled. "Clever," she said, shaking her head. Her eyes suddenly brightened like Arya gave her an idea.

"Do you know how your grandfather died, Lady Arya?" She remained silent, glaring at her with her steely grey eyes. "The Mad King Aerys II imprisoned your uncle Brandon and ordered that your grandfather Rickard ride south to answer for his son's crimes. Rickard agreed, assuming that the matter would be settled through a trial or a bargain of some kind. Instead, Aerys had Lord Rickard burned alive while Brandon watched, and then had Brandon strangled." A chilling grin grew on Cersei's face. 

"I've given it some thought, Lady Arya. You will be useless as a hostage. Your bastard brother and bitch of a sister have been ignoring every raven I've sent. Did you know they have named him King in the North? Perhaps they have forgotten what happened to the last one. Your homeland is too isolated to attack with what's left of my army and I'll be dead soon anyway," said Cersei as she continued to pace around Arya. "It's so fitting that I have a Stark here in the Great Hall, and some wildfire. Perhaps we should reenact your grandfather's death." 

Arya's eyes grew wide. "You've lost it," she whispered.  _This is how I'm going to die. Burned alive by a mad ruler. I never listened to Grand Maester Luwin when he told us that history repeats itself._

The doors to the Great Hall suddenly swung open and slammed against the wall. Jaime Lannister strode in, wearing Lannsiter red and gold armor. He was horrified as he looked around at the dead bodies around the throne room, running to Cersei. 

"Are you hurt?" he asked, looking her up and down. Arya noticed a distance between the two as Cersei stepped forward, Jaime stepped back. "Is that the Hound?" He pointed at one of the dead bodies on the floor.

"Yes," said Cersei. "Arya Stark here and the Hound managed to eliminate my entire Queen's Guard and twenty of the best Red Cloaks." 

Jaime finally noticed Arya laying under their feet as she clutched her leg and took a deep breath through her nose. "Gods," he whispered. "What in sevens hell happened here?"

"It was an assassination attempt," said Cersei with her nose turned up. "This little monster interrupted the Hound's execution, freed him, and killed every man in this room. She was only stopped when the Mountain broke her leg. But I have a plan to deal with her." She held out the pot of wildfire to Jaime. "I'm going to burn her alive with wildfire. I thought it was fitting for her to die like her grandfather. Do it for me, dear brother."

Jaime stared at the pot in her hands. "So you've replaced the Mad King, then?" he asked, venom lacing his voice. "I made a promise to Catelyn Stark that I would return her daughters to Winterfell. I intend to keep that promise."

Arya was shocked. Maybe Brienne of Tarth was telling her the truth when she said she wanted to protect her. She struggled to prop herself up on her elbows and watched the excitement in Cersei’s cool green eyes turn into anger.

"Catelyn Stark is dead. You owe her nothing," said Cersei. “You're defending the girl who tried to assassinate your queen!”

"She's just a little girl. She's right to want to kill our family after what we’ve done to them. The least we can do is return one of their only living children," said Jaime.

They stared at each other for a moment before Cersei took the lid off the pot. "Father was right about you. You are a disappointment. I'll do it myself then," she said, taking a step forward to dump the wildfire on Arya. She scrambled backwards as fast as her broken leg allowed as Cersei stalked towards her. 

Jaime knocked the pot out of her hands, the green substance splattering across the floor. "Enough, Cersei!" he yelled. "Arya Stark is coming with me. I watched one madman do this to a Stark. I won't let it happen again. Good luck with Daenerys Targaryen. I doubt you'll be here when I get back."

Jaime kneeled next to Arya, asking in a soft tone, "Are you alright?" Arya numbly nodded.

"Nothing will be here when you get back!" yelled Cersei. She pulled a torch off the wall and was standing above the puddle of wildfire. She had a maniacal glint in her eyes. "This city is going to burn." 

Jaime suddenly stood up, slowly walking towards his sister. "What do you mean, 'burn'?" he asked carefully.

"Ive had Qyburn's acolytes hide wildfire all around the city. When the dragons attack, the city will burn with their flames," she laughed. "But why not do it now? She'll be here in two days anyway. And Arya Stark will die here today!" Her face began to twitch a bit. 

"Cersei, please," said Jaime. "I broke my vows and stabbed Aerys in the back when he had the same plan. He kept saying, 'Burn them all! Burn them all!' I loved you," he said in a heartbroken voice. "But I won't let you destroy this city."

Cersei considered his words for a moment, the silence stretching out for an eternity. For a second she looked as if she was going to stop her madness. But that spark of sanity disappeared from her eyes and Arya knew that she made her decision.

”Burn them all," said Cersei with a grin as she lowered the torch towards the wildfire. Jaime dove forward, tackling her to the ground. The torch flew out of her hands and landed far away from the wildfire, Arya sighing with relief.

She watched with wide eyes as Jaime landed on top of his sister, pushing his heavy golden hand onto her neck. He placed the other on top and pushed down, strangling Cersei. Her legs flailed as she tried to break his grip but he continued to squeeze. Arya heard him begin to sob as Cersei's legs finally grew still. He finally let go and sat next to her, burying his head in his hands.

Arya stayed silent. Partially because she couldn't think straight with the pain, but also because she didn't know what to say to him. Arya struggled to keep her eyes open as she stared at the mosaic on the ceiling. She hadn’t slept more than three hours each day since she arrived in King’s Landing.

Jaime suddenly turned from Cersei's body and walked back towards Arya, looking down at her. "Are you alright, Princess Arya?" he asked.

"Don't...don't call me that..." said Arya in a weak tone. "It's Arya."

Jaime nodded and explained that he would be back in a few minutes to look for guards and a maester. Arya barely registered what he was saying as the exhaustion from the past few weeks finally caught up to her. When Jaime returned about twenty minutes later, she barely remembered him carrying her to a room where a maester handed her a glass of milk of the poppy. She gladly accepted the liquid and downed it in one gulp. 

She closed her eyes and slipped into a deep sleep, not thinking of her list for the first time in years.

**Author's Note:**

> I may be adding more to this in the future where Arya meets a certain dragon queen and reunites with Nymeria/the Starks. But I'm not too sure. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading!


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